Protect
Healthysexuals protect themselves and their partners by having safer sex.
STIs are passed on through vaginal, oral and anal sex. Most STIs are passed on by sharing certain body fluids (semen, blood, vaginal fluid) or by skin-to-skin contact.
Safer sex is all about protecting yourself and your partner/s from sexually transmissible infections and unintended pregnancy. Safer sex helps you stay healthy and can make sex more pleasurable.
There are lots of ways you can make sex safer.
Use condoms and/ or dams with water-based lubricants
Using condoms and dams with water-based lubricant is the best way to protect you and your sexual partner/s against STI’s. Condoms and dams provide a barrier from body fluids and skin-to-skin contact over the covered areas. Condoms are the only form of contraception that protects against both pregnancy and STIs. It is important to use condoms correctly for them to be effective. See How to use a condom (external site).
Have regular STI check-ups
If you have ever been sexually active, an STI check-up is the only way to be sure you don’t have and STI. To find what some common STI tests are see ‘Test’.
Get treated if you have an STI
Most STIs are easily treated and managed. It is important to get treated as soon as possible because the sooner you start, the more effective the treatment is. It is important to finish your course of medication even if the symptoms are minimal or disappear. Common STIs, like chlamydia, can usually be treated by simple course of antibiotics
Tell all your sexual partners if you get an STI
If you get diagnosed with an STI, it is important to let any people you have had sex with recently know so that they can get tested and treated too. This is called contact tracing and is an important part of preventing STIs (and can help stop you getting the STI again). You can also send someone a personal or anonymous message via Let them know (external site).
Talk honestly with your partner/s
Conversations with your partner/s might include agreeing to only have sex with one another and getting tested and treated (if needed) before you stop using condoms or dams.
For more information see Talk.
Sexual activities that are lower risk
Some kinds of sex are safer than others when it comes to reducing the risk of STIs and pregnancy. Lower risk activities include kissing, masturbating, mutual masturbating, touching your partner's genitals (as long as you don't get any of their sexual fluids on or in your mouth or genitals), touching over clothes (sometimes called dry humping), and oral sex. Lower risk doesn't mean no risk, and it is still possible to get certain STIs from these activities, so using a condom/dam to avoid contact with skin and fluids is the most effective way to prevent STIs.
Get vaccinated
Vaccinations are available for some STIs such as hepatitis A and B, HPV (the virus that can cause genital warts and genital cancers), and mpox. Vaccinations help you to develop immunity so that if you are exposed to these viruses, you are less likely to get an infection, or if you do get an infection, it can make you feel less sick and for a shorter time. Vaccinations for each virus are different, and some require more than one dose to be most effective. Talk to a health professional about vaccinations which might be appropriate for you. Vaccinations are available for free through the childhood immunisation schedule and school-based immunisation. Some vaccinations are also available at community pharmacies.
Further information on immunisation.
Contraception
Contraception refers to methods to prevent pregnancy. If you are having penis-in-vagina sex and you would like to prevent pregnancy, there are many different contraception methods available. Condoms are the only contraception method that also prevents STIs. It is important to find the contraception method that works best for you and your partner. Your doctor or places like Sexual Health Quarters (external link) can help you explore your contraception options. If you are having penis-in-vagina sex and you would like to prevent pregnancy, there are many different contraception methods.
More information about all the contraception methods.
PrEP
PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. This is a medication that can be taken to help prevent HIV infection. If you think you may be at risk of HIV, talk to your doctor or health care professional to see if PrEP is an option for you.
It is all partners' responsibility to ensure that you have safer sex and use contraception to prevent both an unintended pregnancy and sexually transmissible infections (STIs).
It is all partners responsibility to think about and discuss contraception.
Have a look at the Talk page for tips on how to talk to your partner about sexual health.
It is important to talk to your partner about using condoms before you have sex. Some people seem to think that condoms can be a buzz kill and 'get in the way of the moment' but using a condom means you don't have to worry, and you can just focus on having fun and pleasure.
It can be as simple as pulling out a condom and saying “condom?” before you’re about to have sex. It’s a good idea to have your own supply of condoms handy and to be prepared with a few go-to lines depending on your partner’s response.
You could try:
“I’ll bring the condoms.”
“Don’t worry if you don’t have a condom with you, let’s go get some”
“Sometimes people don’t even know they have an STI, so it’s better to be safe.”
“Here, let me show you how to put it on.”
Have a look at our Talk page for some more tips on how to talk to your partner about safer sex.
Condoms are 98 per cent effective at protecting against most STIs.
Some STIs, such as herpes, genital warts and syphilis, can be spread from skin-to-skin contact. Condoms can only protect the skin that is covered, so if any sores or bumps are uncovered by the condom, these STIs can still be spread.
Regular STI testing is important for anyone who is having sex. It is recommended that you get tested once a year or each time you change sexual partners.
No. The oral contraceptive pill does not protect a person against STIs. It only works to prevent pregnancy.
Other contraceptives such as implants and intra-uterine devices (IUDs), do not protect against STIs.
Condoms are the only form of contraception that prevent most STIs and pregnancy.
Some STIs can be vaccinated against, such as hepatitis A, hepatitis B, HPV (the virus that can cause genital warts and most genital cancers) and mpox.
Visit HealthyWA (external site) for further information on immunisation.
Condoms are available in a wide range of sizes and styles, with lots of different features available. Finding condoms that fit correctly is important for safer, pleasurable sex.
Condom sizing is based on the width (sometimes called girth) not the length.
The right fit ensures the condom is doing its job of preventing pregnancy and STIs and helps to make sex more comfortable and enjoyable. A good fit should feel snug – not too tight so it feels constrictive, and not too loose so it might slip off. If you find a condom doesn’t fit well, take note of the width measurement and go up or down next time.
Condom packaging usually includes a nominal width, which is the width of the condom at the open end. Use the nominal width and the width of the erect penis to find a good fit. It is a good idea to look at the measurement as condom sizes vary across brands; what is regular in one brand might be large in another brand.
Once you have the right size, have fun trying new condoms and find the ones right for you and your partner/s – flavoured, ribbed, ultra-thin, textured – there are lots of options!
You can get tested at a doctor’s clinic.
Many hospitals, sexual health clinics, and non-government services offer confidential, free tests for STIs.
You can find a clinic here.
You can also take a test to see if you are eligible to receive a free STI test at a PathWest clinic.
Most clinics require a Medicare card. When making an appointment, check whether a Medicare card is required.
A person 15 years and over can get their own card so when visiting a Medicare office bring identification.